Ethanol is the cheapest, most renewable biofuel known. It has high octane, and stimulates octane as well, in place of lead. Its easily produced and is one of the cleanest burning fuels. These are the traits that make it appealing.
By the process of fermentation and distillation of the sugars and starches that come from sugar cane, fruits,sorghum, corn stalks as well as ear tips, willow trees, myscanthus, canary grass, cord grasses, Jerusalem artichoke, wheat, and other less noted vegetable wastes, all produce ethanol.
Because the use of plant sugar fermentation is so sustainable, the demand for ethanol is expected to expand.
According to Freedonia (a research firm), the demand for biofuel will increase approximately twenty percent in the next four years, and the biggest part of this increase, will come from bio-ethanol.
Ethanol provides high octane (C8H18). It takes the place of lead as an octane stimulate. Its common names are ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol, hydroxy ethane, ethyl hydrate, or drinking alcohol, EtOH, (C2 H5), (C2 H5 OH), and Et.
Ethonal is found in alcohol beverages and thermometers, it is easily renewable and is colorless.
Bioethanol is the main fuel used instead of standard gasoline used in driving cars and the demand is so high that there are plans for using municipal waste systems as a methanol resource.
Ethanol’s oxygen content is high and reduces carbon monoxide more than any oxygenate: by twenty five to thirty percent according to the US EPA.
“Estimating the Net Energy Balance of Corn Ethanol”, by Hosein Shapouri et al., US Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, Office of Energy and New Uses, Agricultural Economic Report No. 721, July 1995
“Studies conducted since the late 1970s have estimated the net energy value of corn ethanol. However, variations in data and assumptions used among the studies have resulted in a wide range of estimates. This study identifies the factors causing this wide variation and develops a more consistent estimate… We show that corn ethanol is energy efficient as indicated by an energy ratio of 1.24.”
Corn Ethanol is estimated to be fifty-five thousand BTUs above the nearest hot burning ethanol according to the same research.
States: IL, IA, IN, NE, MN, OH, MI, WI, and SD (Ali and McBride). Are the 9 states that produce eighty-two to ninety-three percent of U.S. corn ethanol production.
Research has shown that corn ethanol has less waste than other sources of larger scale ethanol production.
When co-product energy credits are added to the calculations, the NEV of corn ethanol is positive regardless of the type of milling used. Dry-milling results in the highest NEV, 19,290 Btu, but wet-milling NEV differs by only 4,989 Btu per gallon. The NEV for weighted average case is 16,193 Btu per gallon. According to Shapouri, Duffield, and Graboski.
All types of ethanol benefit everyone. They serve the often out of balance purposes of mankind, and save the environment at the same time.
They create the least amount of low ground ozone. A fact that can be verified by the research of Shapouri, Duffield and Graboski.
The future is when all used car lots are filled with alternate energy vehicles. The idea inspires the imagination. In the minds eye one can see people distilling their own ethanol as easily as they garden. And it could be just another one of the joys of gardening.
Source: World Biofuels (March 2008,
364 pages), The Freedonia Group Inc., 767
Beta Drive, Cleveland, Ohio 44143.
Web site: www.freedoniagroup.com
As cited in the Futurist, Jul/Aug2008, Vol. 42 Issue 4, p2-2, 0p
http://www.ethanol-gec.org/corn_eth.htm
Contributed by David Allison
